Jyothi Surekha Vennam Leads India to Silver and Bronze at Archery World Cup Stage 4!
India’s women’s compound team secures silver, while Jyothi and Rishabh claim bronze in Madrid, but pressure exposes cracks in crucial moments.
Jyothi Surekha Vennam spearheaded India’s campaign at the Archery World Cup Stage 4, securing a silver in the women’s compound team event and a bronze in the mixed team event on Saturday. However, India’s performance under pressure highlighted ongoing challenges in high-stakes matches.
The women’s compound team—Jyothi, Parneet Kaur, and 16-year-old debutant Prithika Pradeep—entered as top seeds with 2116 points in qualifications. They led Chinese Taipei 170-169 after three ends but faltered in the final, with a wayward 7 and an 8-ring shot costing them the gold, finishing at 225-227. The loss underscored mental frailties, a recurring issue since the departure of coach Sergio Pagni post-2022 Asian Games.
In the mixed team event, Jyothi and Rishabh Yadav, who set a world record of 1431 points in qualifications, bounced back from a semifinal loss to the Netherlands (152-155) to defeat El Salvador’s Paola Corado and Douglas Vladimir Nolasco 156-153 for bronze. The duo maintained a two-point lead after a tied first end, showcasing resilience.
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India’s hopes for more medals rest on Jyothi and Parneet, who advanced to the individual women’s compound semifinals later Saturday. Despite the podium finishes, the results expose a need for stronger mental conditioning as India prepares for the World Cup Final in Nanjing in October.
